Bath and North East Somerset Council has announced it will test the new layout of the Odd Down bus lane on the A367 under an experimental traffic order following extensive evaluation last year.

The new layout will see the inside lane used for all traffic towards Bath, with the central lane being used for buses and park and ride traffic only.

Local traffic wishing to turn right into Sulis Manor Road will be signed to access the central lane approximately 80 metres from the roundabout entry.

The bus lane on the A367 was introduced in 2009, with funding provided by the Department for Transport, and made national headlines when it was revealed that the council spent £1million on the lane that is just 700 yards in length.

It was even featured in international European News and satirical magazine Private Eye.

End of the Odd Down bus lane (Image: www.paulgillisphoto.com)

The details were obtained by Peasedown St John councillor Nathan Hartley. He said: “It was always a shock to find out that such a short stretch of road could cost so much money.

“It came at a time when the council was cutting budgets from youth services and other departments, and had completely mismanaged its spending priorities.

“The Department for Transport has looked at our proposals to amend the layout and agree that they maintain the key objective of improving bus journey times along the A367 corridor, but also provide quicker access to the Park & Ride site from the south.

“We are pleased that we can now move forward with this beneficial change in layout.”

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The council is planning to trial the revised arrangement under an experimental traffic regulation order, which can run for a maximum period of 18 months.

During the first six months of this trial period, the public will be able to make representations and express their views on the changed layout by email to transportation@bathnes.gov.uk.

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